How many of you raise livestock?

[bft131]

I keep reading about those who want to raise hogs or cows for food.

How many of us on here actually do that for our families and friends and how long have you done it?

We moved back to the country 5 years ago June. I was raised in Central Illinois in a farm community but had never raised livestock. Long story short, I have very good neighbors that gave me excellent advice about cattle and pigs and it was off to the races!

Every year we purchase feeder pigs from a local source, I get the runts and they work out fine and have a source for Holstein bottle calves. I have a barter system for a hog for 150 bushels of corn for my stove and we sell the rest of the hogs and 1 beef to regulars. We keep a hog and beef and are set...

We only own about 5 acres, I practice pasture rotation for the cows and my hogs are on a concrete pad approx 50' x 30' with shelter, water and food.

Small livestock farming is not hard.......

 

[henktermaat]

I have been thinking about chickens... I live in the city and we're allowed up to 6 of them.

 

[42769vette]

we have cattle on our farm as long as i have been alive (28 years) i think we started raising them in the early 70s. we do ocasionally get a couple hogs but mainly have cattle around. every year we butcher some ourselves for the frezzer. there is defintally a diffrence in a burger you buy at the store and a burger you raise.

 

[Mr.Hoppes]

We have Goats, chickens, rabbits, turkeys and 2 pigs per year. All are food one way or the other. we barter some, but not much. We make and sell soap and cheese made from the goat milk. We garden for our produce. We're small and never intend to get much bigger. More land would be nice becaue we'd have a buffer between us and the animals.

I like goats. less fat in the milk and meat, smaller animal easier to handle. They eat bush and tree trimmings reducing our feed cost too. Chickens are all free range. We may get into selling eggs , the local guy who does it has his hands full filling his coperate orders. Different traffic too. I will ask him first though, he has helped us out, and wouldn't want to cause him any difficulty.

 

[csaws]

We have 15 chickens currently. We have been looking for a cow share program local to buy into so we can get good milk, but no one around here does it. I grew up on a Dairy farm and we had a hog farm 5 miles down the road we owned too. I am not opposed to raising more than just chickens, however we have 1.71 acres and I have a rule of nothing bigger than a chicken until we get more land.

 

[tedbower]

i am getting 2 feeder calves delivered in about 1/2 hour, we have about 30 chickens and get a couple of hogs now and then ,been doing it for about 5 yrs, only meat in the freezer was either shot or raised,and fish also

 

[infidel]

6,000ish hogs in confinement buildings
250 head of cattle on 100 acres of pasture/feedlot with another 25 or so just on pasture

 

[henktermaat]

We have Goats, chickens, rabbits, turkeys and 2 pigs per year. All are food one way or the other. we barter some, but not much. We make and sell soap and cheese made from the goat milk. We garden for our produce. We're small and never intend to get much bigger. More land would be nice becaue we'd have a buffer between us and the animals.

I like goats. less fat in the milk and meat, smaller animal easier to handle. They eat bush and tree trimmings reducing our feed cost too. Chickens are all free range. We may get into selling eggs , the local guy who does it has his hands full filling his coperate orders. Different traffic too. I will ask him first though, he has helped us out, and wouldn't want to cause him any difficulty.

You don't live in Fortville by chance?

 

[Dr Falken]

Not yet. The plan is to get chickens soon. Eventually goats. I live in the country and many of the neighbors have animals. I've seen more people get chickens recently. I'd like to get some Moscovey(sp?) ducks too.

 

[theweakerbrother]

We never raised animals for food but growing up we would buy a cow with another family and feast on it throughout the year. Mmm, beef.

 

[bwframe]

I'd like to get some Moscovey(sp?) ducks too.

What would the planned use of the ducks be?

 

[Annie Oakley]

I dairyed for 10 years with the neighbors and then went to beef cattle. Several years ago we sold off our herd and now we just keep a couple of head to split for the freezer about every 18 months. We go with a Holstein/Angus cross and the meat is tender and lean. Much better than anything you get from the grocery and cheaper as well.

Had some pigs years ago but just couldn't deal with them.....

 

[66chevelle]

I have been raising cow for 4 years now. My family thought I was nuts at first now they all bug me every year to raise more. I raise 2-3 cattle a year. We raised pigs for 2 years but I can buy them off my buddy a lot cheaper then I can raise my own. The wife decided last month that she wanted chickens so now we are raising 11 for eggs and maybe meat. I am wanting to start raising rabbits but she wants to wait and see how the chicken thing works out first so I am on hold for a few months. We buy very stuff at the grocery store anymore. Manly bread, pasta, milk and pop. My co-workers thought I was crazy until I brought food in for a pitch in and now I have 3 or 4 people that buy food off me all the time now.

 

[hotfarmboy1]

I talked to dad and he's gonna buy about 12 pigs or so from a guy at work. Most will get sold to family and friends though. But we will prob butcher at least 2 for ourselves.

 

[theweakerbrother]

Any of you raise Jacob's Sheep?

 

[mmaddox]

Beef cattle, goats, chickens, ducks, bees, pheasants, quail. Food, eggs, pleasure, and of course honey. Most can be done in a town setting.

 

[bft131]

I have been thinking about bee keeping........Whats the basic cost to get going?

 

[redneckmedic]

I have a bitch and a tired sow back home....does that count?

 

[redneckmedic]

I have been thinking about bee keeping........Whats the basic cost to get going?

Indianapolis Craigslist just had a post on Friday for a full set up...like $400 I think! Under farm and ranch or whatever.

Brand new beehive + equipment

 

[JL7072]

How many eggs does a chicken produce per week(or day)"? I'v thought about getting some.

Dad's next door with 250 cattle (easy shot from the front porch so we're good on meat! My neighbor feeds my deer for me in his fields too...